Exactly what is cam walk, what causes it, and what does it sound like? Is potentially damaging?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Cam walk is just that...the cam is moving back and forth (front to back) in your engine...this has some bad effects on your bearings, timing chain, cam gear, lifters, oil/fuel pump gear).


If it's bad you may hear a squeel, to a clack or clank when the cam walks back in the block...

If building a hi-po engine I would recommend Doc's cam stop, it cheap easy insurance.

-D.idiot

I made a stop from a 3/8" fine thread nut and a rocker adjuster.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

So exactly what causes it? I am trying to figure what that knocking noise is that I am hearing coming from the back of my engine block at low rpm (above 1000 it disappears completely). Sitting at idle with the A/C on or the engine in gear it can be heard quite clearly, but the sound comes and goes, and it is rather irregular too. It started doing this about three years ago but it went away. But now it is back and louder than before. I am about to replace my timing chain so is there any signs that would be visible when I remove the cover?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

I had a 360 do the same thing and it turned out to be a cracked flexplate.
HyperValiant

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1960 Hyper-Pac Valiant(rolling test-bed)
1963 Valiant V2OO(Son's summer project,- he just turned 15 )
1972 Valiant 4dr(Daughter Kelly's repair in progress)
1974 Valiant (v8) daughter Kelly's work in progress

Haven't had a chance to get the car on a lift and look at that yet but I will look into it.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2